Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices and semiconductor devices.
Description of the Background Art
A wide bandgap semiconductor represented by silicon carbide (SiC) has recently attracted attention as a material for forming a semiconductor device. By using a wide bandgap semiconductor, a semiconductor device which is higher in breakdown voltage and lower in power consumption and is able to operate faster than a silicon (Si) semiconductor device can be expected.
In general, owing to a wide bandgap, a wide bandgap semiconductor has a high bonding force between atoms and extremely high hardness. Cracking and chipping thus tend to occur during dicing of a wafer into chips, which are a cause of lowering in yield. Various methods have been conventionally proposed for preventing such cracking and the like (see Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-60606, for example).